Seriously, what is the deal w/ Mesa?

[elguapo9]

Alright, I realize they have one of the worst contracts in the business. Low pay and lotsa work. But that seems like the pilot's problems. Why does everyone bash Mesa, and (more importantly) would working for Mesa now hurt my career later on? I have an opportunity to go there, and the phone isn't exactly ringing off the hook with other offers. What gives??

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

no It will not hurt, 121 is 121 time. If your that worry about it dont go.

 

[meanstreak]

If your going from Part 135 or 91 I think it's a very good move. Yes, everyone bashes Mesa but who else at the regionals is growing as fast as they are. Go there, upgrade in a couple of years and hopefully by that time things in the industry will do a 180.

 

[Cosmo1999]

Dont worry about it. Things turn into flame fests here really easy. So a few people dont like mesa big deal. If you nitpick you could find things wrong with lots of airlines. Just look at the pathetic pay Great Lakes gives to their B-1900 pilots.. Just goto Mesa, get your time and move on when you can. In the end when you apply at the majors or other airlines/fractionals all that really matters is 121 PIC turbine time. No matter what its still part 121 time and the interviewers could care a less where it came from. I just recently interviewed there last week. Havent heard any word yet but shoot me a PM if you have more questions. good luck

 

[Fly2Scuba]

Alright, I realize they have one of the worst contracts in the business. Low pay and lotsa work. But that seems like the pilot's problems.

I think you answered your own question. If you start flying over there, you'll be making low pay and have "lotsa work." 8 days off a month for reserves over a 28 day bid period compared to 11 days off minimum at other regionals over an average 30 day period is substancially less. Not sure what your background is, but if you have some large financial debts, plan on commuting at all or have a family/serious relationship, lifes gonna suck considerabally for awhile/long time. The main thing though is the religious cult equilavent Mesa CEO Ornstein is the scum of the industry. He is to the small jet industry, what Comisky was to major league baseball. Unfortuanetly many Mesa pilots didn't try the equilavent of throwing the World Series. And by the way, I have never seen a display of happiness by a Mesa pilot: crew bus, around the airport, or while hitching a ride. Good luck!

 

[IP076]

I would agree that there's one major problem at Mesa right now... JO.....

Also, Great Lakes is a bit different than Mesa. Yes, they pay $hit wages and you work your a$$ off, but they are not trying to take over the airline world.

The reason everyone hates Mesa, is they signed a contract for less money. Now Mesa has lower costs and they are under-bidding lots of other airlines for contracts. This in turn is causing other regionals to ask for concessions too. It's Business.

Really, the only other option for Mesa Pilots was to be on the street. They really did have their backs against the proverbial wall during negotiations.

Never actually seen Johnny O. But somehow I picture him as Bradley Whitford in Billy Madison, standing up on the stage, having been asked a "Business Ethics" question.....

 

[crashpad]

Flying for a company that is trying to take over the world IS BETTER JOB SECURITY THAN Great Lakes.

 

[IP076]

Flying for a company that is trying to take over the world IS BETTER JOB SECURITY THAN Great Lakes.

Can't argue that point. I'm just saying that Great Lakes seems to stay relatively low on most people's radar screen due to the fact that they are seemingly content with their EAS work and overnighting in Dickinson, ND or somwhere else known as the middle of nowhere.

 

[crashpad]

Can't argue that point. I'm just saying that Great Lakes seems to stay relatively low on most people's radar screen.
___________________________________________________

I'm actually a big fan of Lakes, just think the smarter career choice is Mesa.

 

[reno]

I'm thriled to be where I am... but you can be sure if I was not with my airline right now and I needed a job, and needed to feed my family, I'd be knocking on Mesa's door now too. We are all just pilots who need to work. Good luck!

 

[Cows Go Moo]

Originally posted by Fly2Scuba
And by the way, I have never seen a display of happiness by a Mesa pilot: crew bus, around the airport, or while hitching a ride.

You must not be meeting the right people. I personally like the group of folks here at Mesa. No, things are not perfect, but generally the people one meets here have good attitudes and decent senses of humor. I inject some silliness and good times into the job whenever I can. You can find unhappy people in any walk of life, but I think you'll find that those types are just terminally unhappy and no circumstance in life will ever improve it for a meaningfully long time.

The people who have the better attitudes seem to be the ones who have a life beyond Mesa (or any company, airline or not, for that matter.) Family, other job/career leads, interests, etc. It's better to not leverage one's emotional well-being on Mesa and Mesa alone. The huge majority of the pilot group wants to move and, in time, they will. No sense hating life until that day arrives, though.

 

[Crizz]

Always hatin on Mesa Fly2Scuba!

 

[Mongolikecandy]

I'm thriled to be where I am... but you can be sure if I was not with my airline right now and I needed a job, and needed to feed my family, I'd be knocking on Mesa's door now too. We are all just pilots who need to work. Good luck!

If you really wanted to feed your family, you wouldn't be taking a job at Mesa. If I am not mistaken, and it wouldn't be the first time, Mesa folks aren't paid during training. IF that's true, enjoy paying for your hotel for 6 weeks while not getting paid.

 

[Cosmo1999]

Actually at Mesa you do get paid from day one during training your normal rate... You do have to pay the hotel cost until you pass your systems test after that they pay for the hotel. There are quite a few airlines out there that dont pay you at all during training nor for your hotel.

 

[RegionalFA]

from my perspective... pilots like to hate regionals.

regional pilots tend to hate all other regional pilots except for the company that they work for.

So, worrying about why one group hates another is just silly and unwarranted. Look at the benefits of working at any given place for how they work for you. Will the pros outweigh the cons for YOU.

Mesa does seem to work a lot more for a lot less than a lot of other regionals. But, If you ask Comair guys, they'll hate CHQ just as much. TSA, not exactly the princes of the industry. Eagle, nope, outsiders will call them bitter and they'll call the outsiders on "stealing their flying".

It's all like high school most of the time.

Everyone wants a job. Everyone wants to have the best job. Everyone wants to ignore that everyone else is trying to do the same thing. Business is business.

You shouldn't hate one pilot group for working for a company that can turn profits and bid lower. That's the nature of the industry.

(wanna know how government contracts, housing contracts, public contracts, private contracts all work? on this same principle. Whoever can provide the adequate service for the lowest price is gonna be the one that gets the job. Everyone else that doesn't get the job is gonna hate them and wish they were doing it.)

 

[embraerdriver]

F*%^K MESA

 

[inthepool]

I've been considering applying at mesa for a while now, as I posted elsewhere. How often do you guys working there get denied the jumpseat for no better reason than you work for Mesa. Personally, I think the most ignorant, aloof, and ridiculous thing a pilot can do is deny another pilot the jumpseat because of where they work, but obviously, it happens. Is it tough to get to work if you commute and work for mesa? Just looking for an honest answer.

 

[Cosmo1999]

There was a post on this topic as far as being denied the jumpseat goes. I dont work for Mesa but most captains out there are pretty sensible about it. They will deny you the J/S if they have loading problems or a valid reason or if your a scab. Most captains are actually quite accomdating and while they may disagree with the practices or contracts of certain companies they dont see any good in denying a pilot whos just trying to get home or get to work. The jumpseat is not the place to play politics. If people start getting denied jumpseats because of where they work then it turns into a big free for all. Everyone needs everyone when it comes to jumpseating. I can see scabs being denied the J/S but I doubt Mesa employees get denied very often if at all. Most captains are good guys and they have the attitude that if someone has a valid ID and J/S agreement and there is not a weight restriction preventing it then the person rides. If mesa employees were denied the J/S because of where they work then mesa pilots might start denying people jumpseats because mesa people get denied etc. etc. Bottom line is that I wouldnt worry about it too much.

 

[Stinkbug]

Dude,

Do you want an airline job? Take the one that's offered. Forget about who's hatin' whom and who's contract's better, so on and so forth. Take the job you're offered and build experience, then later you can be more choosy about the job you want to stay at (who knows, it could be Mesa).

I worked for Mesa for four years, commuted half that time and was never, not once, denied a jumpseat. In addition, not one pilot ever had the intestinal fortitude to say something to my face about the company I worked for. And if they had, I would have told them to go piss up a rope. A person isn't defined by the ID he wears. So take all the anonymous internet bashing with a grain of salt. You can do a lot worse than Mesa, believe me. You'll upgrade very quickly and life in the left seat is better than in the right seat, no matter where you're at.

 

[erjman]

worked for Mesa for 7 years and counting. I have commuted on most all airlines and regionals at one time or another. I have never been denied the jumpseat for any reason other than weight. Nor would I ever deny the JS to another pilot unless he was a scab. I have many heated discussions with some of these pilots they have always been professional when it came to the seat. The bottom line is we are all pilots. Unless you are spineless freedumb scumb, or a scab, you have very little control over what your airline does day to day, especially with ALPA.